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High streets

High streets

High streets/local centres are a crucial part of any city or community. As well as shops, they encompass a range of services, employment, leisure opportunities and transport facilities, and as such perform a vital social function.

Some key facts

Bristol has 47 clearly identifiable high streets/local centres, including the city centre (comprising Bristol Shopping Quarter – Cabot Circus, Broadmead and The Galleries), 10 town, 9 district and 27 local centres.

There are approximately 5,600 retail properties in the city, and the vacancy rate is 9.4% (Summer 2018).

Business support and initiatives

A range of information relevant to high street/local centre businesses and independent traders in Bristol can be found below. To keep fully up-to-date with developments, follow us on Twitter.

Bristol Independents
A number of local organisations have come together to support the city’s independent businesses through the Bristol Independents campaign.

Bristol Pound
Over 750 businesses have signed up to the city’s own currency, the Bristol Pound. The Bristol Pound works closely with independent businesses in promoting and supporting the local economy.

Markets
Markets are effectively what the city’s high streets evolved from, and they continue to play a major role in terms of its diverse commercial landscape, and in providing start-up and incubation spaces. See Markets in Bristol.

Connecting Bristol
Online sales are forecast to rise significantly, so while current and emerging technologies can be seen as a threat to high streets/local centres, they can also be seen as an opportunity, especially with Bristol acknowledged to be a leading smart city.

Area-based organisations and projects

There are a number of representative organisations in Bristol related to high streets and local centres.

We seek to provide support to these organisations and projects, fully recognising the role they play in the economic health of the city.

City centreDestination Bristol is a joint venture between Bristol City Council and Business West.

The organisation works with its partners and other stakeholders to promote the visitor economy and support the city centre. Destination Bristol manages two Business Improvement Districts; the City Centre and Broadmead.

Business Improvement Districts (BIDs)
BIDs are partnerships between local authorities and local businesses which are intended to provide additional services or improvements to a specified area.

A BID, lasting for a maximum of five years, must be agreed by ballot and is funded by a levy additional to business rates.